Apollo vs. Artemis: What to know about Nasa moon mission as launch date nears

NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are seen at sunrise at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 24, 2026 - (AFP via Getty Images)

As four astronauts get ready to blast off on humanity’s first trip to the moon in more than half a century, comparisons between Apollo and NASA’s new Artemis program are inevitable.

The world's first lunar visitors orbited the moon on Apollo 8. The Artemis II crew will play it safe and zip around the moon in an out-and-back slingshot.